A Hug for Snape
by Ninjallerina
Summary: Slightly random alternate possibility of the aftermath of Snape discovering Harry in the Pensieve. Slight OOC, brief AU.


**Ninjallerina's Note**: This is my first published Harry Potter fic and will probably be rewritten sometime in the future. It's not strictly canon, nor completely serious.

The story takes place in _Order of the Phoenix_ in the Chapter "Snape's Worst Memory". Harry has just been pulled out of the Pensieve by Snape. I'm aware that both Snape and Harry are slightly OOC.

As always, any sort of feedback is appreciated: comments, critiques, and even intelligent flames (an oxymoron if ever there was one) are all welcome. I'm okay with a few languages and have friends proficient in those that I am not, so please feel free to review in whatever tongue you are most comfortable!

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**A Hug for Snape**

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Snape glowered murderously at Harry, nothing particularly new or abnormal. The fact that Harry's life had chosen that moment to flash before his eyes was a different story altogether.

Snippets of places he'd visited in his lifetime streaked through his mind, swiftly transitioning to faces and assembling into events. The cupboard under the stairs gave way to his room at the Leaky Caldron. From the window there he surveyed the hustle and bustle of Diagonalley. That in turn shrank and mellowed until it became Hogsmeade. Harry found himself floating down a dirt road leading him not to Sirus's cave, but to Hagrid's Hut. Standing incorporeal in the garden, the turrets of the Hogwarts towers were visible.

Suddenly he was in the Gryffindor common room looking round at all the familiar faces he'd grown so close to: Ron, Hermione, Neville, George, Fred, Ginny. Strangely enough Cho, Luna, and Dumbledore were there as well. The portrait door swung open, allowing Cedric to enter and grasp Harry's hand.

The common room fell away and Harry was once more in the Graveyard. Cedric and Harry's hands were still connected, but Cedric was very much dead. Cold laughter echoed off the ghostly headstones. As Harry watched, the markers grew together and up, creating a tunnel, which only amplified the laughter. It took Harry a moment to realize that he now stood in the tunnel to the Chamber of Secrets. Cedric was gone.

He had found Ron, Hermione, and Cho: all were bound to the protrusion of stone in the merfolk's plaza. The lake fell away, and Harry found himself, Ron, and Hermione under the Invisibility Cloak scrambling though the library. They passed through the doorway. Harry blinked and found himself face to face with Cho.

The deluge of myriad memories flashed in a maelstrom before his eyes. Harry desperately hoped that Snape wasn't privy to this new collection of memories. Judging from the mask of fury occupying Snape's face, he hadn't pried. He was still the same livid man, poised to kill the transgressor of his utmost shame.

Harry sighed internally. Despite it all, he could think of no way out of his situation. All the magic Hogwarts had taught him lay forgotten. His very muscle fibers were frozen in terror making vocalization of his sympathy impossible. So this is the end, he thought to himself. He had survived Voldemort on numerous occasions and here he was about to be murdered by his Potions professor.

Then the dungeon door opened, revealing a young woman dressed in Muggle attire. She strode confidently to the greasy, lanky professor oblivious to the look on his face that very plainly said "I'm going to Crucio you".

Despite this formidable expression, she stood face to face with the black robed figure and looked him in the eye. Snape stared back in the unblinking manner of a Legilimens. Harry momentarily forgot his fear of his impending demise. What on earth was a Muggle doing at Hogwarts? Not that he was complaining, mind you. Anything that distracted Snape from him at the moment was welcome.

The Muggle held his eye stare for half a moment. Completely undaunted by the Potion Master's formidable expression, she hugged him for a full ten seconds. Snape exchanged his murderous rage for severe shock. His hands stayed awkwardly at his sides while his eyes grew to the size of Quaffles. Harry was fairly certain that his eyes had done the same. Never had he seen the Professor so absorbed in emotions. Still the lack of struggling on Snape's part surprised Harry. One didn't simply walk up to the Potions Master and initiate physical contact. It just wasn't healthy.

Harry wondered if Snape had _ever_ been hugged. Judging by the memories in the Pensieve, Snape had lacked for affection. Momentarily saved by the Muggle's strange actions, Harry allowed himself to once more feel bad for his least favorite teacher. Prior to viewing his memories in the Pensieve, Harry would not have thought this level of empathy possible.

The Muggle girl released the Potions Master. "I'm sorry about your parents and I'm sorry about Lily." She then turned around and disappeared out the door, leaving a very confused Harry and Snape behind her.

Snape took a moment to regain his composure, then whirled on Harry.

"You will not speak of this to anyone. Anyone! Do you understand?"

Harry nodded to show he understood. Seeing that Harry was properly silenced, Snape flapped through the door in pursuit of the Muggle. Harry hoped she was a swift runner.

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**Ninjallerina's Note**: When I first read OotP, I had this mental flash of Harry hugging Snape after the discovery. I talked about this later to a friend who had wanted to hug him herself, hence the Muggle inclusion. There will likely be a more serious adaption of a Harry-Snape hug forthcoming when I have the time to funnel energy into serious character introspection.


End file.
